


The Seat Beside Me

by CamiliaAnn



Category: Red Eye (2005)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-08
Updated: 2019-03-03
Packaged: 2019-04-20 03:42:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14252277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CamiliaAnn/pseuds/CamiliaAnn
Summary: What if Jackson and Lisa met on a plane as indifferent strangers? Lisa's on a long flight headed overseas for vacation and an unsettling, attractive stranger happens to be seated next to her.This story was originally posted ten years ago (on a different site) and inspired my friend's NicolinaN's story, A Chance Encounter, so you'll see some similarities between the two in early chapters.





	1. Chapter 1

Prologue

"Well, if you're asking me to be blatantly honest, it's easy to see how attracted you are to me. And I don't understand why you work so hard to hide it."

"Because I don't make a habit of getting involved with men I have no future with."

"You're thinking too much. Just let things be what they are."

"That's a good way to get your heart broken."

"Has it ever occurred to you that maybe I'm even more attracted to you than you are to me?"

"Just drop it. Please. Why are you torturing me?"

"Because it's the best way to get what I want."

Chapter 1

Lisa examined the sapphire blue dress her mother had sent her a couple weeks ago in honor of her upcoming vacation to Australia. The delicate straps and flowing silky material seemed out of place in her closet of business professional attire, but Mom had insisted Lisa bare a little skin while walking the streets of Sydney.

"Mom, I appreciate the gesture. Really," she had told her on the phone after the package arrived, preparing for another cabernet-fueled sermon about getting herself laid. "But you know I'm just going away to relax. I'll probably spend most of my time on the beach or visiting museums or something. Zero need for a sexy dress." Her eyes drifted to the half-packed suitcase on her bed filled with tank tops, denim shorts, and loose skirts.

"Lisa, you have to go out at least a time or two when you're there. Wear the dress, get dolled up. Have yourself a nice fling with a good-looking man with an accent."

"Mother."

"I mean it! All you do is work, and you're too young for that. You should be getting out and enjoying your life. Enjoying a man."

"Not this again, please. That's why I'm taking a vacation, mom. To enjoy my life. And I don't need to hook up on my vacation to enjoy myself." Lisa wanted to go on, but held her tongue. Her mother's divorce had thrust the older woman into a lifestyle that Lisa didn't particularly approve of. She was going out constantly, drinking too much, and going home with a new man almost every weekend. And while Lisa wouldn't begrudge anyone a bit of post-divorce fun, she could see what this behavior was doing to her mother's mental and emotional health, despite the woman's insistence that she was having the time of her life. Lisa saw the hangovers…the heartaches…the regrets. She saw this and wanted no part of it.

Her mother sighed. "Just promise me if some handsome young thing asks you out while you're there, you'll go," she continued. "What harm could it do? It'll be healthy for you, Li-Li."

She winced at the use of her most-despised pet name. "Healthy?"

"Just promise me."

Lisa sighed and ran a hand through her loose auburn strands. Well, it'd be easy to avoid getting asked out if she kept to herself. She was taking this vacation to be alone, not meet new people. For crying out loud – she got her fill of people at work. And what good would it do to meet a man in Australia anyway?

"Fine, Mom – I promise. Listen, I gotta go. I love you. Be careful this weekend if you go out, okay?"

After ending the call Lisa ran over eyes over the lovely blue frock one more time before stuffing it into her suitcase. Then she remembered all the shoes she'd packed were flip-flops and flats, so she threw in a pair of heels as well. Oh fine – and her makeup bag.

She surveyed her work and absentmindedly reached up to squeeze the back of her neck, tightened and sore from stress. Getting some time away from her responsibilities at the Lux was long overdue, but it'd been difficult to make the decision to take two whole weeks off. It had taken some heavy convincing by her colleagues that the place could operate without her for a while. Hopefully the customers wouldn't eat them alive in her absence.

"Goodbye, Mr. Sanders. I will not miss you," she chuckled to herself, thinking of their most high-maintenance regular as she crammed toiletries into the bag. The man came into Miami on business at least twice a month, always stayed at the Lux, and somehow always left at least one of her subordinates in tears during each stay. Well, let someone else deal with him for a while. She was headed to a far off place, away from her high-pressure job, away from the worries of her parents, and away from her empty apartment.

Lisa grabbed the flight itinerary from her dresser and reviewed the information for the umpteenth time. The first leg of her trip – a flight to Los Angeles - was scheduled to leave out of Miami International Airport early the next morning. She zipped her suitcase shut and headed for the bathroom to prepare for bed.

4:00 AM couldn't come fast enough.


	2. Chapter 2

Arrival in L.A. came sooner than she expected. She'd slept most of the flight, and thankfully the plane had been quiet. It'd been annoyingly difficult to fall asleep the night before, and she attributed it to nerves. Although she'd certainly flown alone before, this was her first time traveling overseas alone. She knew it would be healthy for her – a way to stretch and challenge herself – and she hoped to return from the trip refreshed and alive.

She sleepily pulled her carry-on bag behind her through the busy concourse after landing, praying that her luggage wouldn't get lost on its way to her connecting flight to Sydney. Although she was excited to be on vacation, she dreaded the impending hours on another plane. Another 15-hour flight didn't appeal to her, but if that's what it took to get her as far away from Miami as possible, so be it.

The concourse was absolutely jammed with people hurrying to catch their flights, and Lisa worked carefully not to run into anyone or roll her bag over anyone's feet. She watched the gates slowly pass as she walked and realized the gate for her next plane was still quite a ways away. Sighing, she looked down at her boarding pass and remembered she had a two-hour layover anyway. The smells of the various airport eateries wafted through the hall, and she realized how hungry she'd become.

"Perfect," she muttered, her eyes catching the sight of a coffee shop off in the distance.

A few minutes later she sat down with a latte and cinnamon scone. After flipping through her Cosmopolitan magazine and learning about the best swimsuit for her body type, Lisa grew bored and began to scan the crowds. People-watching would be a good way to help pass the time.

A small family rushed by, the young mother holding a screaming infant against her while the frazzled-looking father pulled them through the mass of people. They both looked disheveled and a bit disoriented. Lisa felt a tinge of pity and made another mental note to wait as long as possible to have children. The last thing she needed in her life right now was someone else to take care of.

An elderly couple holding hands…a few giggling teenaged girls wearing way too much make up...some flight attendants heading to their next assignment…

After several minutes Lisa checked the time on her phone and realized she should probably head over to her gate. Smoothing her soft white skirt she rose to throw away her trash, taking one last glance out into the masses.

She did a double take as her eyes instantly settled on a dark male form walking alone through the crowd. Something about him made him stand out from everyone else. Although his stature wasn't imposing, his body language attracted her eye first. His walk was casual, though he carried his well-built form confidently. His pale blue, lightly patterned button-up shirt was open at the neck, and the sleeves were rolled up a few inches above his wrists. His dark jeans were slightly faded, ending in a pair of black leather shoes. He looked casual, but expensive. Well put-together.

Finally her eyes settled on the brown locks tucked carefully behind his ears, the masculine cut of his jaw, and a set of full lips. His expression was relaxed, and perhaps a bit cocky. He was exquisitely handsome, and Lisa bit her lip and felt a rare tingling in the pit of her stomach. She blinked when she realized she was gawking. She stole her eyes away but quickly flitted them back in his direction, catching the back of him as he headed down the hall. The back was almost as good as the front…

After he was finally out of sight Lisa finally released the breath she realized she'd been holding. Her heart had actually been racing. What the hell was wrong with her? She shook her head at herself and walked over to shove her cup into the trashcan. Taking a hold of her carryon bag, she glanced at her boarding pass one more time before heading toward her gate.

Lisa searched for a comfortable position in her seat on the plane, thankful that she was placed next to a window. She looked across the wide cabin and watched as the other passengers shoved their bags into the overhead bins and found their seats. She quickly tried to remember what had possessed her to settle for a seat in coach.

Oh yeah. The thousands of dollar price difference.

She sat back and closed her eyes again. Fifteen hours. Fifteen hours on this plane and then I'll be there…

The seat beside her remained empty as the other passengers continued to board. She was hoping for a quiet seatmate, but the prospect of not having one at all was almost too good to be true.

After most everyone had settled into their seats Lisa realized the seat beside her and the seat across the aisle from her appeared to be the only ones still empty. She continued to scan the aisle ways, waiting for someone to emerge. Finally, a frazzled looking woman came rushing down the aisle, her humungous purse smacking into the other passengers as she came. Her mascara had blotched and sunken into the tiny wrinkles around her eyes, and her silver-streaked brunette locks were pulled up into a lazy ponytail. Lisa stiffened and silently prayed that the woman was headed for the seat across the aisle. To her chagrin, the woman plopped down right beside her.

She attempted a smile but the woman was too shaken up from barely catching the flight that she didn't notice. The older woman stuffed her large purse beneath the seat in front of her and quickly fastened her safety belt. After she had situated herself Lisa paused and decided to be friendly. After all, they were going to spend the next several hours together.

"Hi…" Lisa offered. The woman turned her head quickly in Lisa's direction, appearing as if she hadn't even noticed that there was someone beside her.

"Oh…hello," the woman stuttered, still visibly shaken.

"Rough day?" Lisa asked sympathetically. The woman laughed nervously.

"You could say that," she answered, fidgeting. "I'm not used to big airports. Can you believe they had our gate at the absolute end of the concourse? I swear it took an hour just to get to the gate…"

But Lisa barely heard her. Coming down the aisle, in her direction, was the man from outside the coffee shop. She felt herself hold a breath again as she watched him come closer, unable to believe he would actually be the person assigned to the seat across the aisle. How was that possible? To her disbelief, he stopped in front of that exact seat and reached up to put his bag in the overhead bin. She swallowed hard as she ran her eyes down the back of him…

"…know what I mean?" the woman continued, looking a little puzzled at Lisa's change of expression.

Lisa averted her attention back to her seatmate and tried to get her bearings, unsure why exactly she was so mesmerized. It was ridiculous that she was feeling this way. He was just some random guy.

Was her face getting hot?

"Yes," Lisa persisted, determined to get her heartbeat back to normal pace. "Big airports can be a pain."

The woman carried on nervous conversation, introducing herself as Rhonda, a real estate agent from L.A. She was on her second honeymoon with her husband, whose seat was near the back of the plane. She was upset they couldn't sit together.

Lisa worked to carry on the conversation, but her eyes kept flitting across the aisle. The handsome stranger hadn't glanced in her direction since he'd sat down, and it annoyed her that she cared. She silently begged him to look over at her while she simultaneously scolded herself for wanting him to. She absent-mindedly smoothed her hair and situating herself as if eye contact was imminent. But alas, he continued to stare forward, clearly oblivious that his nonchalance was bugging the crap out of a woman across the aisle. Lisa wondered why he was headed to Australia. Vacation? Work? Family? He was clearly traveling alone. Probably to meet a woman.

Again, she scolded herself for even caring and ordered herself to pay attention to Rhonda. Finally the plane rumbled to life, causing the woman to pause her extensive description of her two teenaged children. "Oh god…" the woman muttered, suddenly gripping her armrests and sitting upright in her seat.

"Are you okay?" Lisa asked, her brow quickly creased with concern.

"Yes," Rhonda answered quickly, her eyes squeezed shut. "I'm just…I have a slight fear of flying." Lisa nodded, understanding.

"I've dealt with that before too," she said as the plane began to back away from the gate. "Is this your first time flying?" The woman's features went pale as the plane continued to move.

"Yes…err…no," she answered quickly, spitting the words out separately with her eyes tightly shut. "We tried to fly to Dallas once, but we ended up getting off the plane before we took off."

Lisa made a mental note of where the vomit bags were located, just in case. "So…you've never actually flown before."

Rhonda shook her head back and forth very quickly, and Lisa could see tears were starting to form outside the squeezed eyelids. She felt panicked, wanting to comfort the woman somehow.

"Where is your husband?"

The woman began to breathe heavily as she tightened her seatbelt.

"I think he's in the back." she breathed, her voice breaking slightly. Lisa looked around quickly for a flight attendant and saw that a few other passengers had noticed the commotion and were watching them. She saw out of the corner of her eye that the handsome stranger was now paying attention as well, but there was no time for that now.

"I thought I could do this…I thought I was ready…I thought I could do this…" Rhonda mumbled, full tears streaming down her cheeks. "I need to get off this plane…"

"It's okay, Rhonda…just relax," Lisa whispered, patting her on the arm as she continued to search for a flight attendant. She could tell the woman was shaking. There was no flight attendant in sight, as they were probably all secured for takeoff. In her desperation for help, Lisa began to scan the other passengers. Without realizing where her search was taking her, her eyes suddenly met with the most piercing blue eyes she'd ever seen in her life. The handsome stranger looked calmly back at her, and Lisa thought her heart would stop at the unexpected connection. He regarded her for a moment, then looked down at the trembling Rhonda. Without warning he quickly unfastened his seatbelt and headed for the front of the plane. Lisa watched him go as she kept an arm around the terrified woman, and realized he was going for help.

In less than thirty seconds he returned with a flight attendant in tow, then wordlessly took his seat. Rhonda begged the attendant to let her move back to sit with her husband, and after a several seconds of pleading, she was following the attendant to the back of the plane without a word of thanks for Lisa or the man across the aisle.

Lisa assumed the flight staff would ask someone to switch seats, and that person would take the empty seat next to her. But after several minutes as the plane began to take off she realized no one was coming from the back to claim the seat. Slight relief flowed through her, but a new dilemma had arisen: now there was no one sitting between her and the handsome stranger. Lisa carefully glanced over at him, hoping to catch another glimpse of those blue eyes or at least be able to thank him for his help. Much to her disappointment he was facing forward again, a relaxed and emotionless look on his striking face. He appeared to have already forgotten she existed.

She was self-conscious without a barrier between them and felt herself fidget a little. She smoothed her skirt again and ran a hand through her hair for the billionth time. They were going to be on this flight for the next fifteen hours. Surely there would be an opportunity to talk to him. It'd be rude not to, right? But wait – what was it she'd said to her mom? That she wasn't on this trip to meet a man? Well, she wasn't. That didn't mean she couldn't make a new friend on the plane ride over there, right?

Dammit, this wasn't like her…to feel so vulnerable in the presence of a stranger. To ache with the need to interact with him. Usually an attractive man had to do much more to get her attention than simply exist.

After a few more minutes she dared another careful glance in his direction and realized he still looked as calm and indifferent as ever. Her heart sank a little, when suddenly she saw him take the slightest peak in her direction out of the corner of his eye. Her stomach leapt and she quickly turned her attention back to the front, feeling her face heating a little from embarrassment. Here she was, twenty-eight years old and swooning like a teenager over a cute boy in school. She was an adult, dammit. Why was she acting like this?

Embarrassed that he had noticed her ogling him, Lisa ordered herself to relax and reached again for her novel. Getting lost in its pages would help distract her. If she wasn't careful she'd only succeed in creeping him out.

Still, she spent the next several minutes trying to decide if she'd only imagined that slight smirk on his lips when he'd glanced.


	3. Chapter 3

The gentle hum of the airplane was soothing and the cabin was full of the murmurs of conversation around her. Lisa looked up from her book after reading a couple short chapters and slowly surveyed the large airplane. Many passengers had discovered the small screens on the backs of the seats in front of them and were blankly staring at movies and TV shows. Sunshine poured into the uncovered windows.

Lisa sipped on the ginger ale the flight attendant had brought her and realized her mind hadn't been far from the man across the aisle for the last hour. She hoped it was possible to get through the flight without wondering about him the entire time. But how could she not? Dear god the allure of him…the mysterious energy he exuded...

Lisa rolled her eyes at herself and closed the book in her lap. He was just a cute guy. That was all. Her attraction to him was making her imagination run away with her. Physical attraction could make people a bit wacky. Throws off their dopamine levels and such.

She'd refused to even dare another glance across the aisle since getting caught, so she wasn't sure if he was asleep or awake. She'd barely heard him speak, even to the person beside him, so he probably wasn't talkative. Perhaps he was arrogant. Full of himself. Of course he had flaws. It was easy to imagine him as the perfect man when she knew absolutely nothing about him. Maybe he never cleaned up after himself. Maybe he was all good looks and no depth. He probably couldn't even hold a decent conversation. He was probably in love with himself. Guys who look like that usually are, right?

Sighing, she turned her attention to the small window, enjoying the bright blue sky above and the puffy white clouds below. Although she'd never been a fan of flying, for some reason being 35,000 feet above the earth was refreshing today. It felt like another world.

Nature suddenly called.

Dammit.

She ran a hand through her hair when she realized this would be the first of several visits to the airplane lavatory in the many hours left of the flight. Public toilets weren't her thing, but there was no choice. Her stomach flared a bit when she realized she would have to brush next to the blue-eyed man to get to the restroom. It didn't matter that he was probably asleep, otherwise distracted, or completely indifferent to her presence.

After smoothing her hair yet again, she rose slowly and attempted to move gracefully across the empty seat toward the aisle. Her limbs were numb from sitting for so long, and she felt a bit wobbly as she moved. She finally dared a quick glance at the man she was now facing. His head was laid back and his eyes were shut, and the comely face she'd been merely envisioning the last hour was alive to her again. Being a bit closer allowed her to see the little details of his face she hadn't noticed before, and his closed eyes made her a bit braver in her admiring.

Before she could realize what was happening, she was falling toward him. Without paying attention to what she was doing, her foot had caught on the back of the seat. She grabbed quickly at anything to stop herself from continuing to fall, but her hands only grasped thin air. Her heart lurched with alarm as she fell toward him. While it all happened in less than a second, she felt everything moving in slow motion.

The narrow aisle didn't give her much room to fall, and before she could stop herself she crashed into him with a small cry. Trying desperately to keep her hands from landing on his lap, she managed to land one hand on his armrest and the other on his shoulder. He awoke with a start and jerked a bit at the sudden contact, and their eyes met. In the split second before true embarrassment washed over her, Lisa's senses came alive. The material of his shirt was soft and his shoulder felt firm. He had a warm, spicy scent. The slightest hint of cologne. Those intense blue eyes were on her again.

His expression was surprised but not annoyed, and after his eyes had focused on her his eyebrows rose a bit. The look lasted a beat longer than necessary and it seemed like he was studying her. Finally Lisa felt deep color flush her cheeks as she dropped her gaze.

"So sorry," she mumbled, pushing herself up quickly as a string of obscenities ran through her mind.

"You alright?" he asked in a rich voice, a tickle running through her at hearing him speak for the first time. His hand grasped her upper arm to steady her. She was too disconcerted by the entire incident to fully digest the fact that he was touching her.

"I'm fine, thank you," she answered quickly, giving just enough eye contact to be polite before she broke away and headed for the back of the plane. She couldn't bear to see a look of amusement on his face at her clumsiness. She instantly regretted glancing at other passengers as she walked down the aisle, inevitably seeing smirks and an occasional look of concern. After she finally reached the lavatories and realized with relief that one was unoccupied.

The cold lavatory was bigger than she'd imagined. A careful inspection of the toilet seat had assured her that it was dry, and there was still plenty of space between her knees and the door when she sat down. The faint smell of antiseptic mixed with cherry filled the air, which wasn't particularly enticing, but she supposed it was better than the other potential lavatory odors.

While washing her hands she inspected herself in the mirror and quickly attempted some damage control of her appearance. She'd forgotten to bring her purse that contained her compact and hairbrush, so she made do with her hands. She ran her fingers quickly through her locks and wiped mascara from under her eyes. Her cheeks were still a faint shade of pink from the embarrassment of her fall. Allowing herself to close her eyes and relive it, another tickle traveled through her stomach as she recalled seeing him up close and hearing the exquisite timbre of his voice. She shivered, brushing her hands up and down her arms.

After a few minutes, she prepared herself to exit the lavatory, bracing herself that she was going to have to face him again.

She walked slowly back to her seat, intent on reaching it without entertaining the other passengers with another act of awkwardness. As she approached her section of the plane her eyes scanned the area she expected the man to be sitting a few rows up, but oddly, he was gone. She stopped and blinked at his empty seat, then decided he must be occupying another lavatory.

Turning her attention toward her own seat, she gasped slightly when she realized the man had sat in the empty seat next to hers. That couldn't really be him – could it? She blinked and looked back and forth between the two seats, trying to think of some sort of explanation for why he had moved. He appeared to doing some work on a laptop. She hesitated, unsure how to proceed. She stood dumbly in the middle of the aisle, her heart beginning to pound…

"You okay, lady?" a slightly irritated voice asked beside her. She turned quickly toward the source, a middle-aged balding man with a furrowed brow. He gave her a mild glare, clearly put out by her hovering next to his seat.

"Fine, thank you," she said quickly, propelling herself toward her seat. She walked slowly and bit her lip, trying to think of something to say when she reached him. Should she be apologetic for falling into him? Annoyed at his presumption that he could sit next to her? Dear god…could she be flirtatious?

She reached her row. He didn't notice her at first, his fingers flying over the keys of his laptop. She inadvertently glanced at the words on the screen, fully realizing it was none of her business. Was that…Italian?

"Excuse me," she said softly. His head turned and their eyes met again, causing Lisa's stomach to flip yet again. She willed her cheeks to stay a normal color.

"You're back," he said with a slight smile, closing his laptop and standing to let her slide into her seat. She hesitated for a moment then mumbled a thank you as she numbly took her seat. He plopped down beside her, the rush of air giving her another hint of his scent. She settled into her seat, tucking her skirt beneath her thighs and refastening her seatbelt. Being this near him was almost more than she could handle. She willed her heart to calm its intense beating.

"You recovered from your little accident?" he asked good-naturedly.

Her cheeks lit a soft shade of pink as she turned to face him, put off that his intense blue eyes were now mere inches away. She attempted a relaxed smile.

"Yeah, thanks," she answered, breathless. "I'm sorry for falling on you. I'm not usually so clumsy."

"No apology necessary," he said with a slight wave of his hand. He reached down for his laptop again and set it on the little fold-down table in front of him, apparently signaling the end of their conversation.

She turned toward the window, a little incredulous that he hadn't offered any justification for his presence. Not that she was complaining, but it was too odd a move not to explain. His fingers flew over the keys again, and he seemed completely engrossed in his work.

After a few minutes her curiosity got the best of her.

"So…did you just realize you were in the wrong seat or something?" she finally asked with a light chuckle.

The typing stopped, and he turned to regard her with a slightly amused expression. He brushed his eyes over her features.

"What's your name, darling?" he asked softly, ignoring her question. She watched him shamelessly take in her eyes, lips, and throat before meeting her eyes again. The butterflies in her stomach were almost unbearable. She both wanted him to stare and needed him to look away.

"Lisa," she finally breathed.

"Lisa," he tested on his tongue. "I'm Jackson," he offered, holding out his hand. She shook it, somewhat mesmerized.

Jackson.

"I was hoping you wouldn't mind me moving over," he continued, then leaned in a little closer as if to offer a secret. "My seatmate was a bit of a bore, and it's definitely too long of a flight for that. Plus I noticed you reading Hemingway and figured if you're well-read that you might be a decent conversationalist too," he added with a wink.

She chuckled lightly at his observation, realizing this was a lousy explanation since she'd never heard him even attempt to speak to his seatmate. But she couldn't care less.

"It's okay," she replied, gaining a bit of her composure. "I don't mind at all."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

After receiving permission to stay, Jackson thanked her and settled a bit more into his seat.   Lisa laid her head back and attempted to catch her breath, willing her heart rate to slow and her face to cool.  She had to gain a bit of dignity here.

“So…” he began, glancing over at her. “Australia?”

“Yes,” she nodded with a smile, pleased that he was already starting a conversation.  “Australia.”

“And what takes you there?”

“Vacation.”

“Ahhh…excellent choice,” he said politely.  “You’re going to love it.”

“You’ve been before?”

“Oh yes,” he said with a slight chuckle. “So who are you travelling with?”

She looked away briefly, finding herself somewhat embarrassed to answer about something she'd been so proud of before.

"Ahhh…no one.  I'm going by myself.”

He raised an eyebrow, an act that she found incredibly appealing for some reason. "Really?"

"Really," she answered.  "My work is a bit…stressful at times.  And there’s some family stuff…"  She paused, shaking her head at herself slightly for dabbling in something so personal already.  She wasn’t sure where that even came from.  “I just like to get away by myself sometimes,” she added with a smile.  “I guess I’m a bit of an introvert.” 

He studied her.  "So what do you do?" he asked, turning himself towards her with raised eyebrows, resting his elbow on the arm rest.

"Well actually, I – "

"Wait," he commanded quickly, holding a hand up. "Let me guess."

She smiled hesitantly.  "Okay.”

His eyes narrowed teasingly as he studied her, causing her face to heat again. She worked to hold his gaze, wondering if she'd ever get used to those eyes over the next several hours.

"You’re a writer," he proclaimed with a twinkle in his eye.  “Specifically, Harlequin romance novels.”

She laughed and shook her head.

“You got me.  That is absolutely what I do.  You must be psychic,” she teased.  “Where on earth would you get that idea?”

“Perfect job for the nerdy introvert,” he winked, pleased with himself.

“Nerdy?!”

“Well…you’ve had your nose in a book since I first laid eyes on you.”

“And that makes me nerdy?” she pressed, trying to hide her smile.

He shrugged.

“So why Harlequin romance exactly?” she continued. “Because nerdy introverts have no love life and have to manufacture them on their own?”

“Of course not,” he replied.  “I just figured one as beautiful as you would have so much experience the novels would practically write themselves.”  He flashed her a stunning smile.

Lisa’s mouth dropped involuntarily for a moment and her stomach tickled painfully.  Dear god, he was flirting with her. 

_Get it together, Lisa.  Men have flirted with you before._

"Ahhh…actually I work for a hotel," she corrected, fighting to regain control.  “A big one.”

"That was my next guess."

"Right."

"And what do you do for this hotel?"

Lisa looked away and considered her answer. What did she do for the hotel?  Everything except actually scrub the toilets.

"I'm the general manager. Oversee the staff, work with guests…basically just manage the day-to-day."

He nodded with raised eyebrows.  “Not a great job for an introvert.”

“I manage,” she replied with a smile. “But you know…hence…the long vacations alone.”

He chuckled at her, and for crying out loud, even his laugh sounded sexy.  She really wished her hormones would give it a rest for a while.

"Do you enjoy it?" he continued in his smooth voice.

She sighed and looked away for a moment, her mind returning to undesirable thoughts she’d wanted to leave behind in Miami.

"I do, although I'm very happy to get away for a while.  As far away as possible,” she added wistfully.  “Where no one can find me…”

He studied her.  “Do you have much you need to get far away from?” he asked, his expression a bit more serious.

She blinked at him, thrown off by the question.  Did she?

“Not really.  I mean…nothing besides my job.  That’s the only thing.”  She looked away and swallowed, putting away more personal thoughts about her mother’s mounting instability, her dad’s overbearing worrying, and the fact that she’d remained steadfastly single for nearly two years now.  Her high-demand job was both a blessing and a curse in dealing with these things.

After a quiet moment she returned her gaze to him.  He was studying her intently. 

"You ask a lot of questions," she chuckled, a bit self-conscious beneath his scrutiny.

"You're the most interesting thing on the plane," he shrugged.  She gave him a skeptical look and he looked back at her without a hint of self-consciousness.  Another obviously flirtation, another painful tickle in her stomach. 

“And what about you?” she asked, eager to move the conversation along. “I noticed you on your laptop earlier…what are you working on?”

"Just a report," he said dismissively.

"For work?"

"Yes."

She paused, as he didn’t seem compelled to continue.  He started scanning the aisle.

“I think we could use a drink,” he murmured to himself.

_Interesting_.  For whatever reason, he didn’t seem eager to discuss his job.  What it something embarrassing?  Was he afraid she wouldn’t be impressed?  Her curiosity was peaked.

“So you’re not going to tell me what you do?”

"I'd tell you…" he said with solemn expression, brushing his eyes over her. She loved and hated when he did that. "But then I'd have to kill you."  He said it so convincingly it actually sent a shiver down her spine, his cool eyes enhanced the chilling effect. Quickly recovering, she stared at him with a skeptical look until he finally smirked.

"I’m a manager too, kind of like you, " he finally conceded.  “I was just working on a report on my last project,

"Ahh…" she sighed, pleased to pull some information from him. "And did your last project go…well?"

He smirked at her, a strange twinkle in his eye.  "Yes, it did. Better than we expected, in fact."

"Well that’s good."

They were silent for a few minutes until the beverage cart arrived at their seats.  Jackson ordered himself some bourbon and offered to buy Lisa a drink.  She opted for some white wine, thanking him and taking it gratefully from the flight attendant.  She immediately downed half the cup, begging it to help her relax.  Jackson elegantly sipped his liquor.

"So…” she began again. "I never really thanked you for helping Rhonda."

He raised an eyebrow.  "Rhonda?"

"The lady…from takeoff…"

Realization lit his eyes.  "Oh yes…Rhonda," he chuckled, turning toward the aisle.

"That was nice of you to go get help.”

"Oh," he said with a sideways smile. "Thanks. To be honest, that was more for selfish reasons than anything else."

"Really?" she asked, cocking her head at him. "How could that have been selfish?"

"I just didn't want the flight to be delayed. If she had completely cracked and they had to pull back up to the gate to let her off it would've wasted a lot of time."

She studied him.  "Do you have a connecting flight in Sydney or something?"

"No. I'm just on a deadline."

"A deadline?"

"For work," he answered with a disbelieving laugh, seemingly at the fact that the conversation had turned once again to his occupation.  He ran a hand through his hair a couple times and shifted in his seat.  He generally gave an impression of such arrogance, like nothing could get to him – why was this a trigger point?  She smiled, choosing not to push him. Let him keep his secrets – for now.

“Don’t worry, we don’t have to talk about it,” she said, absentmindedly placing a hand on his forearm to reassure him. 

Jackson stopped for a moment, then glanced up at her, and she quickly pulled her hand away and faced forward.

_Stop touching strangers, Lisa._

After taking a breath she reached for her wine again, eager to feel its relaxing effects.  She could still feel his eyes on her.  Those sexy, piercing, beautiful…

“You married, Lisa?”

She choked on a sip, then coughed a couple times, bringing a hand to her mouth.

Jackson chuckled.  “I apologize for the shocking question.”

“No, it’s okay,” she insisted, her heart pounding again.  “No, I’m not.  You?”

“Nope,” he said simply.  He smiled softly at her.

With that clarified, they both fell silent again.

*********************************************

Lisa was certain time had never passed as quickly as it did on this airplane.  While a 14-hour flight had at first seemed like a daunting test of her endurance, now she never wanted it to end.

After a few quiet moments, Jackson had begun asking questions about her family which turned into near non-stop conversation, even throughout the meal and time when everyone else had fallen silent.  Since he’d given the opportunity, eventually she found herself talking about her mother.  Her parents’ history, her mom’s recent erratic behavior, her own worries, etc.  She realized this was the first time in a long time that she'd actually had time to really have a conversation a man that wasn't a colleague or a hotel guest. In that regard it was refreshing, even if you took away the fact that the man was alluringly handsome and intelligent. It felt good to just _talk_ to someone.

She realized as the conversation went on that he never elaborated much on himself, and mainly just reflected her own questions back to her. It was difficult to determine if he was being intentionally mysterious or was simply a very private person. Regardless, she'd grown more and more at ease with him as the minutes had passed, and the intense mesmerizing attraction she'd initially felt for him had relaxed into a comfortable slow burn.

"It's your turn," Jackson commanded, looking sleepy as he laid his head back against the seat, eyes closed.

Lisa smiled and brushed her hair from her eyes as she tried to think of another question for him. A game had been his idea about an hour ago and would-you-rather had been the winner.  They’d ordered a couple more drinks over the last hours, and Lisa could feel herself becoming a bit giddy. 

"Would you rather have to eat worms or cockroaches?" she finally asked.

He sighed.  "Miss Lisa, you can do better than that."

She smiled. He'd been much better at coming up with good questions than she'd been, and he was quick to call her out on it.

"Picky, picky."

The corners of his mouth turned up slightly but his eyes remained closed.

"Would you rather…" she began, racking her brain. "Trip an old lady…or kick a puppy?"

He immediately straightened and turned to look at her with wide eyes.  "What the hell kind of question is that?" he demanded with a crooked smile.

"The game is would-you-rather, Jackson," she teased. "Don't ask questions. Just answer."

Jackson playfully scowled and leaned back to contemplate his answer.  "Trip an old lady," he finally said.

"And you have to explain why,” she insisted.

"Because I like dogs. And I loathed my grandma."

She laughed but noted that he didn't seem to be joking. "That's awful," she noted, still laughing.

"Not really," he said with a cocked head. "She would've deserved it."

Her face dropped slightly but he was smiling now, so she gave a nervous laugh.  His dark sense of humor took some getting used to.   "Nice," she said. "Your turn."

He paused for a moment.  "Would you rather sit for 14 hours on a plane next to somebody that smelled horrible or somebody that wouldn't shut up?" he asked quickly.

She laughed again.  "Hmmm…somebody that smelled horrible," she answered teasingly.

Jackson threw back the last of his drink.  "I can ask my old seatmate to switch seats with me, if you’d like," he suggested in all seriousness, subtly gesturing across the aisle.

Lisa giggled, the wine making her a bit lightheaded.  “I’m sure he does _not_ smell bad,” she insisted.

“Hey, you didn’t have to sit next to him for an hour,” Jackson whispered, leaning in with a smile.  “Let’s just say the guy forgot to pack the Gas-X.”

Lisa covered her mouth to keep from being too loud, her body shaking with laughter.  She reached out to playfully smack his arm, but he surprised her by quickly grabbing her wrist. 

“No hitting, Miss Lisa,” he whispered sternly, gently squeezing her wrist.  The corner of his mouth lifted.  “That isn’t nice.”

Her breath caught at the change in his demeanor, realizing that not only was he touching her – he was gripping her.  He didn’t immediately release her and began lightly moving his fingers over her skin, holding her gaze.  Unexpected arousal suddenly squeezed at her insides at the feeling of being possessed.  After a moment she could feel him pulling her in his direction…

“My apologies,” she said quickly, pulling her wrist from his grasp.  She turned her head to look out the window again, inwardly scolding herself and reminding herself to keep her guard up somewhat.  His advances were getting more obvious and who knows where this could lead.  For crying out loud – who was she, her _mother_?  For the first time she was starting to see a reflection of her mother’s behavior in herself.  Getting tipsy, fawning all over a man, losing her head, making regretful decisions… 

_No_.  That’s not who she was.  Lisa Reisert kept her wits about herself. 

It was silent for a moment. She heard him shift in his seat toward her, so she turned to face him. His blue eyes, intense even in the dim lighting of the plane, held a look Lisa could only interpret as admiring. She felt a slight blush light her cheeks again and she quickly turned her gaze.

"What?" she asked, staring at the window.

"I have another one for you," he said in a low voice. Her mind quickly went back to their game.  Good – a way to cut the sexual tension a bit.

"Okay," she said, making eye contact again. She felt another deep tickle in her stomach because the look on his face hadn't gone away. Her mouth quickly went dry.

He hesitated as he studied her, his eyes dropping to her cheek.

"You have such beautiful skin," he said softly, almost to himself, as he slowly lifted his hand to tuck some hair behind her ear. Her eyes widened and she shrank back a little at the touch, but it didn't deter him. His eyebrow rose, seemingly intrigued, and he let his fingers linger a bit on her ear, touching it as if it were delicate. His eyes followed the movement of his hand until his gaze brushed down to her neck, then back up to her eyes. He seemed slightly mesmerized.

Her face flushed red, a bit stunned.

"Would you rather…" he began, leaning in and speaking softly to her slightly hypnotized expression. "…I continue touching you or keep my hands to myself?"

A fresh rush of butterflies released from deep within her stomach throughout every inch of her.

"Jackson…" she practically whispered, her tone meant to be scolding, but instead she just found intense pleasure in saying his name.

He looked patiently back at her, and finally took his hand away from her face.

"That was presumptuous of you," she breathed, finally finding her voice.

"Not really," he argued, his eyes still charming. "That's why I asked you what you'd prefer."

Her mouth opened and closed a couple times, as she couldn't find words to rebuke him further.   "Listen," she began, a scolding lilt in her voice as she worked to recover her nerves.

He seemed displeased with her tone, and his brow furrowed. Before she could continue, he brought his hand to her face and softly ran his fingers down her smooth cheek, as if to test her.  She froze again, unwilling to stop him, and they slid further down and gently brushed her neck.   Even that chaste touch from him caused electricity to course through her.

He watched her shiver and seemed pleased again.

"See," he said soothingly as his eyes held hers. "That's not so bad."

"You shouldn't do that," she said stiffly, her heart pounding and her insides aching with arousal.

"Why not?" he challenged, his voice still low as he pulled his hand back.

"We're in public,” she said pitifully.

He looked around the plane, and she also realized that everyone near them was either asleep or otherwise engaged. He looked back at her with an unconvinced expression.  "No one is paying attention to us, Lisa."

"And because we barely know each other," she argued, trying to convince herself of it too.

“I know enough,” he shrugged, a pleasant look on his face.

She studied him and realized that hours before when she first saw him in the airport, she could've imagined his hands all over her.  He was a fantasy then.  But now that he had become real, she felt a sense of caution. This man was still mysterious to her – she truly didn’t know him at all.

The silence became uncomfortably long as she searched for a response.

"Anything else to drink?" a strangely cheerful voice said beside them. They both jerked toward the source of the voice, a male flight attendant that had come up beside their row with his drink cart without either of them noticing.

Lisa blinked at the man, attempting to gather her thoughts enough to respond.

Jackson recovered more quickly. "Please," he said politely. "Rum and coke."

The attendant nodded and looked expectantly at Lisa.  "Water," she said stiffly. "Please."  No more wine for her.

The awkwardness was palpable, at least for her, for several minutes after their drinks were served. As soon as Jackson finished his drink he whipped out his laptop for the first time in a few hours to work on his report again. She listened to his fingers fly across the keys as she stared out the window. The plane was surprisingly quiet, and Lisa offhandedly wondered if anyone around them had been paying attention to their conversation.

"You never really answered my question," he said softly, not turning his head from the screen.  “My ‘would you rather’…”

"I thought my answer was obvious," she replied.

He chuckled softly to himself, still typing away.  "I figured you would've come to your senses by now."

Lisa huffed.  "You are incredibly sure of yourself, aren't you?" she whispered, turning to look at him.

"Only when there’s no doubt," he said without hesitation, turning to face her and making brief eye contact, his smile gone. He turned back to his work.

"I think you're misinterpreting things," she insisted, turning back toward the window. The words sounded ridiculous even to her own ears.

He snorted.  " _Misinterpreting_?”  He stopped himself, then was still for several moments and said nothing. The tapping on the keyboard had stopped.  “Look, Leese – I don’t know what’s going on with you exactly, but I’ve never been as sure of anything as I am of what’s going on between the two of us.”

She was silent.

“I won’t push you, of course,” he continued, his fingers busily typing again.

Lisa still didn’t respond, her mind a flurry of conflict.  He’s so attractive…what’s the harm…but that’s probably how her mother thinks…she refuses to end up like her…the alcohol is probably clouding her judgment…but she’s on vacation, she never has to see him again…wait is that a good thing?...dear god what would happen if she gave in to him? 

"I assume you get tired of getting hit on all the time," he interjected, interrupting her thoughts.

She blinked at him.  It was crazy to her that he could possibly think she could categorize him with any other man who might hit on her.  “Jackson…” she began.

His eyes closed for a moment and almost appeared to shiver. “You have to stop saying my name like that,” he interjected, shaking his head a bit.  “Or I can’t be held accountable.”

She stared at him dumbfounded with her lips parted slightly, freshly aroused.  She had no clue she could affect him like that.

He waited a moment for a response, then turned forward and closed his laptop.  "Would you prefer if I changed seats?" he asked, leaning down and sliding the computer into his bag.

“What?!” she gasped, stunned by the sudden question.

"I don't want to make you uncomfortable," he continued. "And technically I invaded your space, so…"

"You don't need to move," she said quickly, unthinkingly placing her hand on his arm again in her earnest. They both looked down at her hand before she quickly brought it back to her lap. "Really," she continued, waving her hand nonchalantly. “It’s’ fine.  Please stay.”

He studied her for a moment. "Okay."  He pulled the computer out of the bag again and placed his back on his tray table.

Lisa away to let out the breath she'd apparently been holding.  She shook her head at herself, admiring her own well-reasoned restraint while simultaneously hating herself for rebuffing his advances.  Why was she rejecting what should make her absurdly happy?  

After several quiet minutes he glanced over at her with another crooked smile and she felt the now-familiar burn flare inside her again, the awkward moment between them passing. She knew very well that something deep within her wanted him – he certainly wasn’t wrong about that.  Their chemistry was almost unbearable, but she refused to make a foolish decision here.  She was not her mother, and never would be. 

Lisa sat up a little straighter in her chair and sipped her water, hoping to flush some of the alcohol through her system.

"So…" Jackson began in a low voice after several moments, leaning toward her slightly. The nearness brought his scent back to her nostrils again, warming her. "Would you rather… be invisible or be able to read minds?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N  Not to start off on a negative, but I’m not sure if I like this chapter, guys.  I think the cat-and-mouse, will they or won’t they, “the woman is hesitant but the man pursues” thing is sexy as hell, but I can’t tell if I’m overdoing it in this story.  I am open to notes and feedback.  Regardless, please enjoy!**

* * *

The overwhelming boredom and sense of claustrophobia were starting to get to Lisa. Her body felt cramped and stiff, and her mind was tired and restless. The book she'd brought was long finished, and she wished she'd had the foresight to bring more than one novel with her. She looked over at her seatmate. His head was laid back and his eyes were closed, but she was almost certain he wasn't asleep. Lisa ran her eyes up and down him for the thousandth time. His look had become somewhat unkempt as the hours had passed, his brown locks mussed, and his blue collared shirt rustled. His arms clutched a small airline pillow to his chest. Her eyes rested on his full mouth, and she found her thoughts fleeting to the last time she'd been kissed. How long had it been? She shook her head at herself, dismissing the thought.

Their conversation had remained light after he had blatantly come on to her, which Lisa appreciated, but occasionally she would still catch him giving her looks that made her stomach curl. Still, she remained proud of herself for resisting his advances. It was foolish to think that their newfound friendship would last any longer than the flight, and she didn't care for the thought of giving in to this handsome creature then immediately regretting it once he disappeared afterward - forever.

She sighed and rubbed her eyes.  It bothered her that it had become more for her than simply being physically attracted to him; she realized she actually _liked_ him – beyond the gorgeous blue eyes and impossibly sexy voice.  He was engaging…easy to talk to…obviously intelligent.  And he wanted her.

Her insides squeezed involuntarily again, and she shifted in her seat.

She suddenly remembered that she was going to be on vacation once they landed. The resort, the beach, the sights… Alone, just like she'd wanted – right?

She shook her head at herself. This didn't change a thing.

The plane was quiet, and she felt her eyes getting heavy. Jackson remained still, his breathing steady and deep as he snoozed. Lisa rubbed her eyes and decided it might be a good idea to sleep a little, to help the time pass and get the rest of this flight over with. Her heart sank at the thought.

_It doesn't matter anyway._

She pulled a sweater from her bag and crushed it into a ball to serve as a pillow. Placing it against the window, she lay her head down and curled up. Sleep came quickly.

* * *

 

_Warm…soft…_

There was a soft drumming. What _was_ that?

A pleasant scent filled her nostrils. It was comforting…alluring. She wanted more of it, so she moved toward it.

_Mmm…nice…_

She felt a soothing touch on her shoulder.

There was a sense of warmth, like the feeling she'd get when her father would hug her.

_Dad_?

She must be dreaming of him.

Coherence came slowly. She gradually began to realize that the faint drumming was a heartbeat, and the stroking on her shoulder was a hand brushing her skin.

_Oh my god._

She shot up quickly, and Jackson jerked his head toward her and pulled the arm away that had been wrapped around her.

"Ahh…you're awake."

She stared at him, mortified. Her heart pounded, a strange thrill blossoming within her, and she was unable to speak. He looked pleasantly back at her, charmed.

"What's the matter?" he asked somewhat innocently, his blue eyes amused. Her brow furrowed at him.

"Why was I laying on you?" she asked, horrified.  Did he pull her to him while she slept?  He didn't have permission to do that.

"Hell, I don't know," he said with a smile. "You just started moving around in your seat and eventually curled up against me, so I went with it."

She studied him. If that was true, it was clear that although in full consciousness she could resist this man's advances, her subconscious was not so strong. She'd never snuggled up to a stranger on a plane in her life.

"Sorry about that," she mumbled, smoothing her hair and attempting to compose herself.

 "What for?"

She turned to him with wide eyes, her mind still a bit hazy from the nap. "What do you mean 'what for'?"

"Lisa, we've spent several hours sitting eight inches apart on this plane. That has to establish some level of intimacy," he explained in his rich voice. "So believe me…it's okay if you lean on my shoulder."

She didn't answer him, not wanting to explain again why they shouldn't be touching, and turned her head away to look out the window.

"Why do you keep doing that?" he grumbled in a tone she'd never heard from him before.

She looked at him in surprise. "Doing what?"

"Turning away from me when I say something you don’t like," he explained, his brow furrowing in frustration.

"Well what would you want me to do? Argue with you?"

He snorted at her question and turned away, giving an incredulous laugh.  She realized he was annoyed at her for rejecting him again, but she'd never seen him react this way before.  He hesitated and turned back to look at her, and she felt pierced by the sudden intensity of his gaze. "We're running out of time, Lisa," he said, searching her face with his eyes. He emphasized the words, though quietly enough to keep their conversation just between them. “We don’t have anymore time for these games.”

Her eyes widened at him, her heart suddenly pounding at his intensity.  "What are you talking about?'

He hesitated again and ran a hand through his hair. Lisa watched the locks fall back into his eyes and waited for him to continue.

"We land in a few hours," he stated.

"Yes…" she responded, suddenly wondering how long she'd been asleep.

"Then we walk away from each other," he continued dejectedly, his expression serious as he studied her.

She couldn’t hide a somewhat pained expression.

"Lisa, let me tell you something," he said, leaning in a bit closer to her and speaking in a low whisper.  “My work… It requires me to be good at reading people.  Body language...pupil dilatation…subtle accents…breathing patterns, etcetera. It obviously helps me understand how people are feeling, predict what they’re thinking, what their next move might be.  All that to say, Leese…you're very easy to read."

She blinked at him.

"Is that so?" she replied, her chin lifting slightly. "And what exactly is so easy to read about me?"

He chuckled lightly.  "That you’ve wanted me since the first time you laid eyes on me back at the airport,” he said matter-of-factly,

Her mouth dropped, flabbergasted.

Jackson smirked.  “Yes, I noticed you staring at me, and yes, I noticed you, too.”  His smile widened.  “You had coffee and a magazine and one of the loveliest faces I’ve ever seen in my life.”

She took a moment to collect herself.  “I can _not_ believe you never mentioned that.”

He just looked pleasantly back at her.

“But…” she finally croaked. “When you got on the plane…did you know…I mean did you realize…?”

“Of course I did,” he replied.  “I can be subtle when I want to be.  I knew you were here, and I was just as surprised to see you as you were me.  You’re even more beautiful up close.”

She blushed painfully and turned toward the window again. Suddenly his hand was on her jaw, and he gently turned her head back to face him.  She fought the urge to squeeze her eyes shut.

"Stop," she ordered, pulling away and bristling at him.  He immediately released her.

"See, this is what I don't understand," he interrupted, clearly frustrated but remaining gentle with her. "We're adults, Lisa.  We’re attracted to each other.  What’s the problem?"

Her mouth opened and closed a couple times. "Jackson…" she began in a guarded tone. “I can say no to you without owing you an explanation.”

He was quiet for several moments.  “You’re right,” he conceded.  “But would you be merciful enough to answer a couple questions for me, for the sake of my sanity?”

She hesitated, then finally made eye contact with him again and nodded. 

"Are you involved with someone?" he asked, point blank.  “Boyfriend?”

She shook her head.

“Are you super religious?  Vow of celibacy or something?”

“No.”

“Am I secretly disgusting to you?  You’re revolted by my presence?”

She couldn’t help but smirk at him and shook her head again, dropping her gaze.

"Then what is it, Leese?" he insisted, softening a bit.

She sighed and realized honesty was probably the best way to go at this point – he wasn’t going to let her off the hook. 

"I…I don't make a habit of getting involved with men that I have no future with," she finally said flatly. “Someone close to me does it all the time…too often…and I see what it does to her.  And I think it keeps her from finding anything real.”  She was surprised to feel her eyes well a bit, but she was able to withhold the tears.  “I want something real.” 

They were quiet for several moments.

Finally Jackson leaned in to her.  “So you really think I just want to fuck you,” he whispered, a bit of an edge to his voice.

Her head jerked in his direction at his choice of words.  His statement was rude, but actually hearing him say those words cost her her breath and caused her insides to throb.  “ _What_?”

“That’s really what you’re saying, isn’t it?” he continued.  “You think I want to fuck you when we land and then I’m out the door before you can even get your panties back on.  Right?”

She hesitated, reddening at the image. “That’s not what I…”

“Of course it is,” he interrupted.  “And I must admit, Lisa…I find that a bit insulting.”

“Jackson, be serious” she said sternly, exasperated. “I live in Miami.  We’re on a plane to Australia.  Now that think about it I still have no idea where you even live.”

His eyes darted away for a moment but he didn’t volunteer the information.

“Where could this possibly lead?” she pressed.

He stared at her for a moment and said nothing.  She watched his expression fall slightly, the fight seemingly going out of him.  He gave her a resigned expression and faced forward.

Lisa faced forward as well, a bit stunned that she had finally gotten to him.  She released a breath and realized she was shaking.  Although his relentless pursuit exasperated her, she realized it had made her feel good to know he was still trying.  Well, she had successfully pushed him away.  Good for her.  She sighed, miserable in her hollow victory.

She closed her eyes and her heart began to pound as she felt the urge to do something impulsive come over her.  She couldn’t take it anymore.

“Jackson…” she whispered, choking a bit.  He turned his head to her and their eyes locked, his eyebrows raised in expectation.  She hesitated, biting her lip.  Her heart was in her throat and her face heated as she gathered her courage.   

Finally she reached out, placed her hands on his jaw, leaned forward, and kissed him.

 


End file.
